LAKKI MARWAT: The district education department is prepared to accommodate the displaced students of North Waziristan Agency in the public sector schools, according to an official.

He said that thousands of displaced tribal people including men, women and children migrated to the district when army launched operation Zerb-i-Azb against terrorists in North Waziristan.

“Among them are schoolchildren and now their parents are worried about their education,” the official said. He added that schools would open on Sept 1 after completion of summer vacations and arrangements were made to impart education to the displaced students.

He said that local officials of education department had received instructions from authorities concerned to admit displaced students to state-run schools in the settled areas.

Heads of educational institutions directed to accommodate them without asking for school leaving certificate

The source said that District Education Officer Nazir Khan had also directed the heads of public sector schools to allow admission to the displaced students of North Waziristan Agency in their respective institutions without asking for any fee or school leaving certificate.

“The DEO also directed the heads of educational institutions to asses the displaced students on the basis of their age and level of education for admission,” the official said. He added that it would help the displaced students to continue their education without facing any difficulty.

Meanwhile, SDEO Ikramullah Khan has appreciated local police for recovering free textbooks and arresting a man allegedly involved in the illegal practice of selling the books meant for schoolchildren.

Talking to journalists at his office on Tuesday, he said that the elements involved in the illegal practice were enemies of the students and they deserved exemplary punishment.

Mr Khan said that he had also paid surprise visits to the bookstores in Lakki, Naurang and other towns of the district in April and May when reports regarding sale of free textbooks had surfaced.

Appreciating action by police against the sellers of free textbooks, he said that close coordination between education department and police would help to bring anti-education elements to book.

“The close liaison between both the departments will also be helpful for promotion of education in the backward district,” Mr Khan said.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2014